My 2012 Christmas Eve Alphabet

Awareness of
Blessings and
Challenges.
Delicious and sometimes
Extravagent
Foods.
Generally good
Health, mentally and physically.
Intimate conversations.
Joy to the World
Kindness, kin and time in the kitchen
Love
Music, speaking of which:
Nutcracker and Messiah.
Opportunities to give and receive.
Pine
Questions and quests
Reading stories
Seeing changed hearts
Telling it on a mountain
Understanding
Vitality and a sense of
Wonder
Xcitement and creative spelling
Youthful
Zeal even when you are no longer young

The Earth's Tilt and Mine

Friday morning at 4:12 a.m. Mountain Time the earth will be tilting as far from the sun as it ever does here in the north hemisphere. So we get the shortest amount of daylight and the longest amount of darkness and then we slowly start edging back to longer and eventually warmer weather. Of course for summer lovers the solstice could be celebrated in the southern hemisphere where they're getting the longest day.

The earth tilts and our seasons change dramatically as we get farther north or south of the equator. Is there a spiritual or social similarity. If I stay close to my values, traditions and supportive relationships will I fare better than being north or south of such nurturing? Or is change a reality to accept and embrace.

I like to think my friends and family will always standby my side. Some have. I've rarely been let down even though I have let down others. But life has bumps in the road and winter solstices. I hope I can remember to keep that in perspective. I hope I can remember that when I've heard just one too many continuous playing of Carpenter's Christmas music, that I will wisely retreat to a more private space to listen to Debussy or jazz. Or to simply sit at a keyboard and know that these thoughts can be shared at the push of a button.

Do you have winter solstice thoughts? How do you make the most of the promises of the holidays and minimize the darkness. It's one of the reasons I hang Christmas lights. I like making the world just a little be brighter. What do you? What works for you? And what do you try to avoid?